Brawl between young bear and dog ends with pet owner bitten, Florida officials say

A fight between a dog and a bear led to a man being injured when he dared to intervene on behalf of his beloved pooch, according to investigators in Florida.

It happened after dark Dec. 20 in Orange City, and the man was lucky he avoided meeting the cub’s mother, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

“The man was bitten by a bear cub while trying to break up an altercation between the cub and his dog, which had chased the cub after being let outside late that evening,” the FWC said in a news release.

“The cub had been nearby with an adult female bear and two other cubs, which were not involved in the incident.”

Wildlife officers set up traps on the property and captured three cubs and an adult female, officials said.

They were relocated as a family to an undisclosed wilderness area.

The extent of the man’s injuries were not released.

Orange City, about a 30-mile drive north from Orlando, is in a part of the state with a heavy density of black bears, FWC reports. It’s estimated the state has about 4,050 black bears, which “are generally secretive.”

Adult males average 250 to 350 pounds, but the state record is 760 pounds, FWC says.

They are attracted to populated areas by “garbage, pet food and bird seed,” experts warn.

“If a bear is not able to find food, it will move on,” the state says.

This story was originally published January 3, 2025 at 11:07 AM with the headline "Brawl between young bear and dog ends with pet owner bitten, Florida officials say."